The Tanzania government has recently introduced a new kind of visa known as Referral Visa. The country’s Ministry of home affairs released on their official site list of countries that will require referral visa to enter the country of which Nigeria is one of them.

Tanzania defines its “Referral Visa” as Visa granted to nationals of Countries which require a special clearance and approval from the Principal Commissioner of Immigration Services or the Commissioner of Immigration Services (Zanzibar) prior to the issuance of Visa – Read More. Applicants whose nationals fall under the list are not advised to book flight tickets or make payments for any reservations in Tanzania before they get approval for their Visa. Applicants of Referral Visa are required to apply at least two months before their date of travel.

As of 31st August 2018, Tanzania had a visa on arrival policy for many African states. Citizens from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Djibouti didn’t have to apply for visas before visiting the country but with the new rules, they are required to apply for visas at least three months before their visit.

This new development was brought to the notice of the public by the organizers of AfrilLabs who were faced with the new visa rules on their arrival at Tanzania city of Da es Salaam two days before their scheduled conference on October 11. AfriLab is a continental gathering meant to connect and improve Africa’s tech ecosystem. It was reported that some participants from specific African countries were stopped from attending this conference by the new visa rules.

Some people who were affected by this development has taken to their social media handles to express their displeasure. Rebecca Enonchong, the board chair of AfriLabs, said on Twitter.“How can we cry when western countries deny visas but yet refuse entry to our own?”

However, Several countries, including Rwanda, Ghana, and Ethiopia this week, have introduced visa-on-arrival or visa-free entry for African citizens.